Calling All Opinions of Mineral Point (and surrounding area)! (Madison: apartments, house)

[TheModCottage]

First of all, I'd love any specific advice on where to go, where to eat in Mineral Pt. and the surrounding area for my upcoming trip there.

My Husband and I are originally from northern Illinois and are going "home" to visit the parents October 21-28. We are considering a move back to the Midwest (from Norfolk, Virginia) and I have always been fascinated with Wisconsin. We definitely want to be in a smaller town (2,000-30,000 preferably) I am an artist and am especially drawn to communities that support and encourage the arts and Mineral Pt. sounds almost too perfect!

If any locals can give me some perspective on this wonderful sounding small town, I'd like to hear it...good, bad, ugly, and too wonderful for words, I want to hear it all. Jobs...weather (I already know about the snow...), culture, etc.

Recommendations for other great small towns in the area are invited as well.

Thanks!
Melissa

[JoshB]

Melissa,
My reply may not be of to much help, but you should also check out Mazomanie. Was just recognized in a national magazine for being one of the coolest small towns in America. It has lots of art, culture etc. Sorry I couldn't help you with MP.

[ajb225]

Hi ModCottage
There are many nice places to eat in Mineral Point. I recommend The Walker House, Cafe Four for pizza, The Old Royal Inn, Brewery Creek (their homemade beer is really good), or Gundry and Gray. Many of these restaurants have websites, some even feature their menus. The Old Royal Inn often has good live music. The Red Rooster is on High Street and features pasties, a Cornish traditional meal.
If you're in town for the fall art tour this month you will have a very fun visit.
Mazomanie is trying hard, and has really improved in the last several years, but Mineral Point is still a nicer place to spend a weekend.

Good luck!
A Mineral Point resident

[everwinter]

Is the Walker House open for business? Ain't that place haunted as can be?

[daisy78]

It is open for businnes. Is it haunted? What 150 year old buildning isn't.

[everwinter]

The "rumor" was it was haunted. For a thrill in my high school days we'd go up to the building late at night & try to work up the courage to look inside the windows. I never saw anything, but others reported seeing dishes floating.
Just good small town fun.

The Walker House

[Currently a cheesehead]

I lived in Mineral Point for about 5 years. I moved there because the town was what I had always envisioned as the perfect quaint town. In the winter it is like a Christmas postcard. Downtown is redone and has a variety of antique stores, bars, jewelry stores, to art galleries. I walked my dog at night and people were friendly. Great place to raise kids and tons of parks, trails (4 wheeler/walking trail comes right into town), historic mining places to visit, etc.. nearby. I moved to be near my husband's family and am now looking in TX. I find myself searching for the Mineral Point of TX as I still miss it. Land is still relatively cheap compared to some states. If you like rolling hills with big old oaks in the backround you will love it. Lots of big old fancy homes kept up beautifully as well.
For the bad: it is a small town so your business can be everyone else's too. "Real" shopping is about a 50 minute drive to Madison or Dubuque. You can find some varied stores around, but if you want to find a mall, etc.. you have to drive. Not a ton of higher wage jobs in Mineral Point or in nearby. Most people drive somewhere else to work. Property taxes are high compared to some states.
I would move back in a heartbeat. Some of my fondest memories surround that town and its aura. Hope you get a chance to experience it. New Glarus is a similiar type town that is closer to Madison/jobs if you need other suggestions. Love that town too and very similiar.

PS You may want to drive up and see the House On The Rock while you are nearby. Something you will never forget.

[montyc]

Originally Posted by everwinter

Is the Walker House open for business? Ain't that place haunted as can be?

The Walker House - Mineral Point, Wisconsin

I guess you'll have to visit the place to make up your own mind whether or not it's haunted. Speaking from personal experience, I can tell you it is, but not in a bad way.

[arizonaone]

Hi. I am relocating to WI for my job which will be located in Cross Plains. From my research online and some of the available apartments I have seen, I have fallen in love with Mineral Point.

Can someone please tell me how far the commute to Cross Plains is, how are the highways getting in there, especially during the winter months and will I have any problems with unplowed/salted highway 151 in the winter?

Thanks and I really appreciate your help with this.

[Currently a cheesehead]

Looks like it is about 41 miles give or take from town to town. Normally 151/18 is pretty good to drive as long as it isn't snowy or foggy. It has cross traffic on it that has made for alot of accidents in those conditions otherwise you can speed right along on it and no traffic jams. What determines any variation in normal travel time will be the fastest route you find from 18/151 up to Cross Plains. Few different ways, but have to find which would be the quickest for you.